


A Missing Piece

by Aerilon452



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Complete, F/M, Ficlet, Homecoming, Sadness, empty nest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 10:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16785130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerilon452/pseuds/Aerilon452
Summary: Carol returns to the Kingdom where she and Ezekiel feel the absence of Henry.





	A Missing Piece

**Author's Note:**

> My take on Carol going home without Herny.

Carol and Diane arrived back in the Kingdom to find the King and Jerry waiting for them. The sadness Carol was feeling momentarily abated upon seeing the smiling face of her husband. Sadly, the effect had worn off by the time she climbed down from the wagon. He opened his arms to her, silently saying, ‘Come here.’ Without hesitation, she went to him, and wrapped her arms around him. She couldn’t keep the tears from falling. Carol hid her face against the side of his neck.

Ezekiel held his wife, feeling her sadness calling to his own. They had done one of the hardest things parents could do. They bid a fond farewell to their child as he started down his road to adulthood. Henry was taking on more and more responsibility. It did his heart good and at the same time made him miss the child Henry had been. “We will see him again,” he whispered to his wife. Without releasing Carol from his loving hold, he nodded to Diane, telling her he would speak with her later. She returned the nod sympathetically. 

Carol tried to get her tears under control, but every time she thought they were finished falling, more would gather in her eyes, and they would soak into Ezekiel’s shirt. She knew her husband was content to hold her for however long she needed. Right now, she wasn’t too eager to let go of him. Except, she had pull herself together. Pulling back, she looked up at him, seeing the light smile on his face, but the mirrored sadness in his eyes. “I miss him so much already.”

Ezekiel brought his hands up, cupping her face while his thumbs wiped away her tears. “I know,” he replied with a sigh. “It feels like a part of me is missing with him so far away.” Outside of the Kingdom, they couldn’t see to Henry’s safety, and it was hard to come to terms with the fact that he was skilled enough to protect himself. 

“I talked to Tara while I was there,” Carol said. Talking about the Fair would take her mind off her son for the moment. Stepping back, she took his hand, so they could walk. “She told me she would have to talk to Jesus when he returned. Apparently, Eugene is missing.”

“What happened?” Ezekiel asked.

“I don’t know, Diane and I left before Daryl, Aaron, and Jesus returned,” Carol answered, and then she added, “Michonne was also there and we talked. She told me she read your letter, but that she can’t help.” 

Ezekiel stopped and looked at his wife. “Can’t or won’t?” he asked. This division between the communities had to be resolved. They had to come together before it was too late for them all.

Carol sighed and shook her head. “Honestly, I think it’s a bit of both.” She was no stranger to hardship, or to the problems that came with living in a community. Carol didn’t doubt that Alexandria had their share of trouble, but at the same time she couldn’t help but feel disappointment.

“We can’t bring everyone back together if no one will put forth the effort to work with us,” Ezekiel growled out. 

“I know,” Carol said, resting her hand on his chest.

“Baby, this is…” Ezekiel was beginning to feel the weight of the responsibility he had taken on. He was beginning to regret trying to bring the communities back together. It was shaping up to be quite a Herculean task that he wasn’t sure he was cut out for.

Carol brought her hands up to his face, getting him to look at her. “You listen to me, Ezekiel. We will make this work, even if it’s just you and me. Hilltop is willing. If Alexandria is intent upon isolating themselves, then we go on without them, if we have to.” She wouldn’t hold her breath for Michonne to change her mind. She couldn’t afford to wait.

“Do you really want to give up on Alexandria, to mark them as a ‘Lost Cause’?” Ezekiel asked. 

Carol dropped her hands down to his chest. Touching him was helping her to think, to set aside the sadness and absence of her their son. “I don’t want to, but I will, and you know I will. My people are here. My life is here. Michonne, I love her, and she’s still my family, but you and Henry have to come first, just as Judith and RJ come first for her.” After what Michonne did, what they all stood by and let happen, they all went their separate ways. 

Ezekiel nodded, knowing his wife was right. He would put the wellbeing of his wife and son, his people, above others. It was just the way it was. “All right, we’ll start with Hilltop. Tomorrow, I’ll send an envoy with our proposal to Tara and have her present it to Jesus to get his approval.”

“Very wise,” Carol said with a slight trace of humor.

“How did Henry settle in?” Ezekiel, hardly able to resist any longer. He needed to know that his son was being taken care of. This must be what ‘Empty Nest’ felt like. Already he was noticing the absence of Henry in their lives. 

“I could tell he felt strange about being back, but I know him, and he’ll be adjusted to the way Hilltop does things in no time,” Carol tried to sound reassuring, but she was missing him so much. “Before we know it, he’ll be back in time for the Fair, and…” 

“And we won’t be worrying every minute of every day?” Ezekiel asked. 

“Well, not as much,” Carol answered with a shrug of her right shoulder. He shook his head as he took her hand and together they went about their day. It would be hard to concentrate while missing Henry, but they would get through it. They had each other.

MIDNIGHT:

For a change of pace, Ezekiel was the one not sleeping while his wife was still in their bed. He knew that she would be awake soon enough. From the window of their bedroom, he gazed out at their sleeping Kingdom. Since his departure to intern with the blacksmith, every person within the walls felt the loss of the Prince. As much as Ezekiel’s people looked to him – to Carol – they also looked to Henry. It was as if a piece was missing from all their lives. As the days wore on, it would be a little easier, but tonight, he missed his son.

The moment he left their bed, Carol was awake. She watched him stand by the window, his brow furrowed, and his shoulders slumped. Like he had done for her upon her return, she climbed out from under the covers and went to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind just as she placed tiny kisses to his left shoulder blade. “I know… I know…” she said in between those kisses. 

“Did we make the right choice in letting him go?” Ezekiel asked before he could stop himself. 

“It may feel like we didn’t, but believe me, we did,” Carol assured her husband and gave even more kisses to his shoulder.

Ezekiel gripped her arms and sighed. “I have this gnawing feeling that something is coming, that what we’re doing is all in vain…” He was afraid they were never going to see their son again. But, he dared not speak of that fear. 

Carol immediately pulled away from him, gripped his arm, and turned him so he was facing her. “Don’t think like that,” she said quickly. “We have managed to survive every situation this world has thrown at us, and we will continue to do so.” Her voice held a quiet conviction that she hoped to lay any fears her husband had to rest – at least for the time being. When she looked into his eyes, she saw the true cause for his doubt, for his fear. “When Henry has learned all he needs to know, he’ll be home. We will see our son again,” Carol said it as much for her as she did for her husband. 

Ezekiel brought his hands up to cup her face and touch his forehead to hers. He took a deep breath in, then let it out slowly. “You are always the one to lay my fears to rest,” he spoke softly. “Tell me that you’re certain he’ll be fine at Hilltop.” Ezekiel just wanted to hear her say it, just once.

“Our son is strong, and he is smart. Henry has Daryl to look after him, should he need it. He knows what we expect of him and what he expects of himself. I know that he will be fine while at Hilltop,” Carol stated resolutely. If she believed it strongly enough, she knew he would too. 

“How did Daryl react to your request?” Ezekiel asked. 

“He wasn’t going to do it at first, but things turned around, and he changed his mind,” Carol answered, not going into too much detail. She knew her husband could read between the lines. 

“Say no more,” Ezekiel muttered and then placed a kiss to her brow. His wife had a knack for making impossible things happen.

Carol took a step back, taking his hand, and asked, “Will you come back to bed and try to sleep?” He needed all the rest he could get if he was going to be clear headed to draft his proposal for Jesus and Hilltop to take part in the Fair. Ezekiel had a gift for choosing the right words, but only if he got enough rest. She tugged on his hand lightly, trying to get him to move. 

Ezekiel relented with a light groan. He let her pull him towards the bed. Letting go of her hand, he went around to the left side and stretched out. He rolled over to his side just as Carol moved closer to him. Ezekiel brought her in against him, using her warmth, her presence to calm his mind. “I love you,” he whispered as the snuggled closer together.

“I love you too,” Carol replied. She placed a kiss against his chest, against the expanse of skin above his heart. Faintly she could feel the strong beat of it against her lips. She closed her eyes, slowed her breathing, and hoped that soon he would fall asleep. In the morning, their son would still be far away, but they would be able to handle the distance a little better. Then the next day it would get a little easier, and the day after that. Before they knew it, he would be riding back through the gates of the Kingdom, and their family would be whole. Until then, they would have to manage their worry and their desire to go to Hilltop to check on him.

THE END.


End file.
